We’re coming to the end of the year, which means it’s time to go back to the drawing board and keep your affiliate marketing efforts up to date. Here, we’re going to look at the resolutions you should make before 2018 to ensure you’re ahead of the wave, rather than falling behind it.
The mobile moment will matter more
To deliver information that consumers need at that precise moment is set to become more important. Trends in how internet users use mobile devices, in particular, are gearing more towards seeking immediate assistance and reliable information wherever and whenever they need it. Capitalising on these all-important micro-moments is going to become crucial, so make sure you’re gearing some of your content for just that.
Publishers will come and go
It’s worth saying every year, but this year audiences have shifted perhaps more dramatically than ever before. Political and ideological splits are causing camps to change just about everywhere. Look back at some of the biggest changes not only in your audience but your top performing publishers. Expect to see some pretty huge audience migrations and optimise based on the currently visible shifts in movement.
Now is not the time to play coy
There’s some bad news for affiliate markets on the horizon, with internet regulatory bodies becoming much stricter about the disclosure of affiliate relationships. There have already been a few big, precedent-setting charges against companies failing to disclose contributed or affiliated content. It’s wise for parties on both sides to start making agreements where disclosure is mandatory.
Big data’s only getting bigger
The data you can gather from your affiliate marketing publishers can be more valuable than gold, and not only in improving affiliate marketing methods. Every touch point, every channel, and every variety of content and call-to-action can be measured. Closer cooperation between affiliates and advertisers are crucial for this to work. It’s also worth taking a look at which publishers are collecting and sharing that information and considering cutting loose those that aren’t. The relationship has to be reciprocal, too. Find the content that elicits the best response and create guidelines and offer personalized tips for your individual affiliates.
The year of quality over quantity
Until now, the most common strategy has been to leverage every influencer that possibly works as an affiliate. However, trends are starting to shift and show that those that focus on a smaller, specific group of up-and-coming influencers tend to get the most long-term benefit out of it. Target specific niches, work more closely, communicate, and share data with those affiliates, then move onto the next one in 2018. Make it more relevant to specific customer focuses and questions.
Affiliate marketing is only going to become more of a force to be reckoned with in 2018 as interest in unbranded, user-generated content continues to grow to new heights. If you haven’t committed fully yet, this is the year to truly benefit from the traffic boosts and increased earnings and affiliate marketing arrangement can offer your site.
